On September 18, 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ or the Department) announced two significant revisions to the Justice Manual that aim to reshape False Claims Act (FCA) enforcement. The first revision reinstates and expands the Department’s 2017 policy limiting
Subject to Inquiry
THE LATEST ON GOVERNMENT INQUIRIES AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS
The Subject to Inquiry blog, published by McGuireWoods LLP, focuses on legal developments and regulatory compliance issues affecting various industries. It covers topics such as anti-money laundering (AML) and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) compliance, financial institution regulatory changes, cybersecurity standards for defense contractors, privacy law enforcement by state attorneys general, and False Claims Act settlements related to cybersecurity violations. The blog provides updates on legislative proposals, regulatory agency actions, enforcement trends, and best practices for compliance in areas including financial services, government contracting, data privacy, and cybersecurity.
Blog Authors
Latest from Subject to Inquiry
DOJ Continues Increased Cybersecurity Enforcement: Honeywell Aerospace Agrees to $2M FCA Settlement for Cybersecurity Noncompliance on DoW Contracts
On September 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced a $2,042,518 False Claims Act (“FCA”) settlement with Honeywell Aerospace Inc. (“Honeywell Aerospace” or “Honeywell” or “the company”), resolving allegations that the company failed to comply with certain cybersecurity…
Could Using Cheaper Chinese AI Lead to Costly Congressional Scrutiny?
U.S. companies using AI models developed by companies based in the People’s Republic of China, including DeepSeek, Moonshot AI or MiniMax, should be aware of potential congressional scrutiny in this Congress and the next. Two House committees are conducting a…
Talk to Your Customers: Five Agencies Clarify What SAR Confidentiality Actually Prohibits
On September 2, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve”), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), the National Credit Union Administration (“NCUA”), and the…
Department of War Launches Research Security Audits: Key Compliance Steps for Higher Education Institutions
Background
On August 17, 2026, the Department of War issued formal notifications to 30 domestic academic institutions directing them to initiate immediate and comprehensive reviews of their academic, financial, and research collaborations with foreign entities of concern. The notifications were…
FinCEN Kills Beneficial Ownership Reporting for U.S. Companies, but Foreign Filers Should Beware
The long saga of the Corporate Transparency Act’s (“CTA”) beneficial ownership reporting requirements has reached its final chapter — at least for domestic businesses. On August 11, 2026, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) issued a final rule permanently exempting…
New Frontiers in Spoliation: Preserving AI Records in Litigation
The explosion of generative AI in the workplace has created a new and largely unaddressed category of litigation risk. In May 2025, a federal court in the Southern District of New York ordered OpenAI to preserve and segregate all ChatGPT…
DoW Suspends CMMC Phase II Requirements – Launches 60-Day Review
Overview
On July 13, 2026, the Department of War (DoW) announced the immediate suspension of all Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Phase II requirements, which had originally been scheduled to take effect November 10, 2026, including the transition to mandatory…
OFAC Details Sanctions Compliance Expectations for the Stablecoin Industry
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) recently issued a proposed rule that will require the implementation and maintenance of a sanctions compliance program (“SCP”) for permitted payment stablecoin issuers (“PPSIs”).
The proposed rule, which directs that PPSIs put in…
AI-Assisted Billing Could Create FCA Pitfalls: How Healthcare Companies Can Get Ahead of Risk
Across the healthcare industry, providers are increasingly relying on AI-assisted billing tools to automate medical coding, prior authorization workflows, and the submission of claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal payors. Some vendors advertise “clean” claim rates exceeding 98%, meaning…